Jesus of the Scars

Okay, so it is obvious (especially to those who have known me for years) that I stink at blogging. Years ago I used to blog very frequently but I've fallen off the wagon and have never truly recovered. Isn't it appropriate that this blog is called "sameoldstruggles" as I continue to struggle with this issue. So, I will not bear false witness by saying that I am returning to blogging, but I just felt like writing a bit tonight.

At times I think us Protestants (even though Baptists refuse to call themselves such, but that is for another time) could benefit from following a liturgical calendar. Celebrating Advent, Lent, etc., if done well, can have an amazing impact on how we view our day to day lives with God. Personally, I need a constant, even by the minute, reminder of the greatest of the Gospel. Today is the day that people celebrate "Maundy Thursday," the day of the Last Supper and the Garden of Gethsemane. On this night Jesus prayed to the Father that the cup of His wrath would pass, but as an obedient Son and loving Savior, He accepted the task and went to a painful death.

(Quick tangent coming...) I constantly marvel at my own weakness and darkness of heart. I struggle with living missionally/evangelistically because I don't know how to seek out and let people into my life. The funny thing part of that is that I desperately long for community. I can talk a good game but the real test is living and quite often I flunk out big time. However, I can sense God opening up new doors and channels in the dark recesses of my heart and calling me to love people (and maybe even allowing myself to be loved) and that is comforting and disconcerting at the same time... which is how it should be, I think... (Tangent over.)

What I really want to address are wounds. How often do we wound others, and we do so often in the same way that we have been wounded time and again. Biting words, selfish actions, using others... these barely scratch the surface of what one human can do to another. I have done and have had these things done to me over the years. I have had serious wounds. However, through the very wounds of Christ, our wounds can be healed. Sure, on this side we still carry the scars of our rebellion, but Christ victoriously bears the scars that seal our redemption. 

There is a poem that a friend introduced me to years ago called Jesus of the Scar"  by Edward Shillito that I wanted to share:

If we have never sought, we seek Thee now;
Thine eyes burn through the dark, our only stars;
We must have sight of thorn-pricks on Thy brow;
We must have Thee, O Jesus of the Scars.

The heavens frighten us; they are too calm;
In all the universe we have no place.
Our wounds are hurting us; where is the balm?
Lord Jesus, by Thy Scars we claim Thy grace.

If when the doors are shut, Thou drawest near,
Only reveal those hands, that side of Thine;
We know today what wounds are; have no fear;
Show us Thy Scars; we know the countersign.

The other gods were strong, but Thou wast weak;
They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne;
But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak,
And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone.

What has wounded you in this life? Will you let God heal your wounds? We have a God who has felt temptation, pain, loneliness, hunger, and thirst. On this night nearly 2000 years ago, Jesus had the chance to walk away, but He knew the healing and redemption that would come from His wounds. 

But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.

- Isaiah 53:5 

Don't let this amazing weekend where we celebrate the greatest act of love in history pass by as another weekend. As the poem states (and Scripture agrees), we should seek Jesus for He is the only balm for our wounded souls. By His wounds we can have peace and healing.

I love you all so very much...